John Jones was born on November 7, 1784. Not much more is known about his early years till August 8, 1810, when he appeared before the authorities to declare that he, a shipwright by profession, a bachelor aged one and twenty and upwards wished to marry Hannah Simpson, a spinster aged one and twenty and upwards, there being nothing to let or hinder either of them from marrying. He swore that he was willing to pay £200 if any statement he made later proved to be false.

John’s signature is firm and clear; the actual application now rests in the county Archives in Ipswich. In return he received a licence to marry, the marriage to be publicly solemnized in “the Church of Lowestoft”. Both parties were aged 26.

John’s first child was christened in Lowestoft but there is no record of any other christening there; presumably he moved to Beccles before the second child arrived two years later.

There is no record of John’s early years in Beccles. But by 1841, when the Census was taken, besides owning 8 houses on Northgate Street he had his own boatyard in “Jones Scour” off the Old Market. In these days the boatyard has been replaced by a small development of houses on the river, the approach to which is still called “The Score”.

In the 19th century the river Waveney was used as a highway for the transport of heavy goods such as coal to Bungay and probably to Diss. Boat builders were in demand. Nevertheless his business did not make John Jones a rich man. He had his children educated to the best of his ability but his only surviving son did not go to a university. Towards the end of his life health was poor. He died on December 4, 1850, aged 66. The cause of his death was certified as pneumonia followed by paralysis.

When he died his property was valued at less than £50 in value and was therefore not chargeable to estate tax.

We know very little about John’s wife, Hannah. She was born August 15, 1784 and died 62 years later on May 23, 1847.

--------------------John and Hannah had 7 children, four of which grew up to adulthood.

THEIR CHILDREN

John Simpson Jones1810 - 1813Died young, aged 3.

Jane Chambers Jones1813 - 1894She worked as a missionary in India. See separate writing.

John Simpson Jones 1815 - 1827 Died young, aged 12.

Eliza Delia Jones1817 - 1874Accompanied her sister Jane Chambers to Benares, India, to assist her in her missionary work. This she was able to do till she married John Smail in India, where she lived the rest of her life.

William Samuel Thomas Jones1819 - 1823Died young, aged 4.

Samuel Simpson Jones1823 - 1866 He was the only son to survive to adulthood. He married Sarah Seymour Reynolds and they were to become the parents of our main focus, Samuel Simpson Jones. See separate writing.

Deliana Woods Jones1825 - 1905She married Thomas Neech of Ravensmeer, Beccles, with whom she had 3 children. Thomas and Deliana are known to have looked after Hannah when she became ill with cancer. Thomas appears as the person who registered her death with the authorities.